National French Fry Day is an annual food holiday celebrated in the United States, dedicated to the popular side dish. The event is observed by various fast-food and casual dining restaurants, which offer promotional deals, typically involving free or discounted french fries. The date of the celebration has shifted over time. Initially observed on a fixed date, it was successfully petitioned to be moved to the second Friday in July by the chains Checkers & Rally’s in 2022. For the year 2025, the second Friday in July falls on July 11. For 2026, the second Friday in July is July 10. The holiday is characterized by deals that often require a purchase, though some offers are available with no purchase necessary. Participation and specific terms can vary by location.
Many of the deals are tied to restaurant loyalty programs or mobile applications. For instance, McDonald’s offers free fries for app users, and Wendy’s provides free fries for rewards members with an in-app purchase. Other chains, such as Burger King, Carl’s Jr., Del Taco, Jack in the Box, and others, also require app usage or loyalty membership to access their promotions. Some offers are available through in-store, online, or app orders, while others are exclusive to specific platforms. The value of the free item can range from a small or regular size to an any-size fry, and some promotions include other items like cheese fries or tots. A few deals, such as those from Checkers & Rally’s or Wayback Burgers, have unique requirements like bringing a competitor's fry purchase or offer a discounted price rather than a full freebie.
The following sections detail the specific offers reported for National French Fry Day, primarily for 2025 and 2026, based on the provided source material. It is important to note that offers, prices, and local participation may vary, and most offers require a purchase.
Restaurant-Specific Offers for National French Fry Day
The following deals have been reported for National French Fry Day, primarily for the years 2025 and 2026. The information is based on press releases and promotional roundups. Always verify with the restaurant directly, as terms can change.
Arby's
For Arby's, a reward member offer was noted. Reward members could get a free any-size fry on their next visit by purchasing an Arby's Cheesesteak online. The offer had to be redeemed within seven days and was valid through August 31. The year for this specific promotion was not specified in the provided data.
Burger King
Burger King's deal for National French Fry Day is available to Royal Perks members. Members can get a free any-size fry with any $1 purchase. This offer is typically valid on the day of the event.
Carl's Jr.
Carl's Jr. offers a free any-size natural cut or waffle fry with an online, in-app, or in-store purchase on National French Fry Day. The specific year mentioned was 2025.
Checkers and Rally's
Checkers and Rally's has a unique offer: customers can bring in a recent French fry purchase from a competitor and receive a free large fry with no purchase necessary. This deal is part of their celebration of the holiday they helped popularize.
City Barbecue
City Barbecue offers a free French fry or Three Cheese Mac & Cheese when redeeming the offer online or in the app.
Del Taco
Del Taco's Del Yeah! members can get a free regular fry with any online, in-app, or in-store purchase on National French Fry Day.
Dog Haus
Dog Haus rewards members can get a free fry with a purchase of $10 or more.
Farmer Boys
On National French Fry Day, Farmer Boys customers making an in-app purchase of $5 or more will receive an order of their always crispy fries for $1.
Fatburger
Fatburger offers a free order of Fat or Skinny Fries with any Fatburger sandwich or burger purchase when ordering online. A promo code, FryDay25, is required at checkout. This offer is valid from July 9–13, 2025.
Jack in the Box
Jack in the Box's Jack Pack Rewards members can enjoy a free fry of any size or shape (curly, french, or halfsie) with any in-app purchase on National French Fry Day.
Krystal
Krystal offers a free small fry on National French Fry Day when spending $10 or more online or in the app. The promo code FRYMEUP is required at checkout.
McDonald’s
McDonald’s offers a free medium fry with the purchase of $1 or more through the app on National French Fry Day. This offer is specific to app users.
Penn Station
Penn Station typically offers a free small fry when purchasing any sub on National French Fry Day. For 2025, this deal was available from July 11–13.
Smashburger
Smashburger offers a free order of fries (Smashfries, Sweet Potato Waffle Fries, or Scorchin’ Fries) with any purchase of $1 or more. This offer is valid in-store, online, or in-app using the promo code FRYDAY25. It is not valid on third-party delivery apps. The offer is valid on July 11 only for 2025, and predictions for 2026 are similar.
Sonic
Sonic offers a free medium fry or tots with any purchase on National French Fry Day. For 2025, this is on July 11. For 2026, it is predicted for July 10. The offer is available through the Sonic app.
Wahlburgers
Wahlburgers offers a free order of fries with a spend of $10 or more. The promo code FRYDAY25 is required for online or in-app orders. For in-store orders, customers must mention "Fry Day" when ordering.
Wayback Burgers
Wayback Rewards members can get a regular-size fry for $1 (regularly $2.99) on National French Fry Day. No extra purchase is required for this discounted offer.
Wendy's
Wendy's rewards members can get a free any-size fry with any in-app purchase on National French Fry Day. For 2025, this is on July 11. For 2026, it is predicted for July 10.
Whataburger
Whataburger offers a discounted medium fry for $0.75 when ordering online or in the app between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. (local time) on National French Fry Day. For 2025, this is on July 11. For 2026, it is predicted for July 10.
White Castle
White Castle offers free Cheese Fries with any order when using a coupon or promo code (CHEESY) during checkout online, in-app, or in-store. For 2025, this offer is valid from July 2 to July 11. For 2026, a similar offer is predicted.
Understanding the Deals: Common Requirements and Variations
The deals for National French Fry Day share several common characteristics, primarily revolving around loyalty programs and purchase requirements. Most restaurants require customers to be members of their loyalty program or to use their mobile app to access the free fries. For example, deals from Burger King, Carl's Jr., Del Taco, Jack in the Box, McDonald’s, Wendy's, and others are tied to app usage or rewards membership.
A common requirement across many offers is the need to make a purchase. This purchase can be as small as $1 (as seen with Burger King, Jack in the Box, and Smashburger) or a specific item like a burger or sub (as with Fatburger and Penn Station). The free fries are often an add-on to this purchase. Some offers, however, do not require a purchase. Checkers & Rally's offer, which involves bringing a competitor's fry purchase, is one example. Another is Wayback Burgers' discounted fry for rewards members, which requires no additional purchase.
The size of the free fry varies. Some promotions offer a "free any-size fry," which provides maximum value, while others are for a specific size like small, regular, or medium. A few deals include alternative items, such as tots at Sonic or cheese fries at White Castle.
Promo codes are frequently used for online or app orders. Codes like FRYDAY25, FRYMEUP, and CHEESY are specified for certain restaurants. For in-store orders, some require mentioning a phrase like "Fry Day" (Wahlburgers) or using a coupon.
The duration of the offers also varies. Most are valid only on the specific day of National French Fry Day, but some, like Fatburger's and Penn Station's deals for 2025, span several days. Arby's offer, in contrast, had a validity period that extended through August 31, but the purchase requirement was time-bound.
Evaluating the Source Information
The information presented is compiled from three main sources: The Krazy Coupon Lady, Passionate Penny Pincher, and LiveNowFox. These sources aggregate deals from company press releases and promotional roundups. While they provide a comprehensive list, the system prompt advises prioritizing information from official brand websites, verified sign-up forms, and terms of service pages. The provided data does not include direct links to official brand terms for these specific promotions. Therefore, the offers should be considered as reported by these deal-tracking websites and should be verified by consumers directly with the restaurants before attempting to redeem them.
Some predictions for 2026 are included in the source data, based on patterns from previous years. These are explicitly labeled as predictions (e.g., "we predict," "will likely offer"). It is important to treat these as speculative and not guaranteed. The confirmed deals for 2025 are based on more concrete information from press releases and AARP, as noted in the LiveNowFox source.
Contradictions or ambiguities in the data are minimal. The primary ambiguity is the specific year for some offers, such as Arby's and the general predictions for 2026. The sources clearly distinguish between confirmed 2025 deals and 2026 predictions. The change in the holiday's date from a fixed date to the second Friday in July is consistently reported across sources, attributing the change to a petition by Checkers & Rally's in 2022.
Conclusion
National French Fry Day is a popular annual promotion where numerous U.S. restaurants offer deals on french fries. The holiday, now permanently held on the second Friday in July, is heavily promoted through restaurant loyalty programs and mobile apps. Most deals require a purchase, often a minimal one like $1, and are valid only on the specific day of the event. Consumers interested in these freebies should join the relevant loyalty programs, download the respective restaurant apps, and review the specific terms and conditions, which can vary by location and are subject to change. For the most accurate and current information, checking the official website or app of the restaurant is recommended.